The Battle – The US Invasion

American air forces pounded Iwo in the longest sustained aerial offensive of the war. “No other island received as much preliminary pounding as did Iwo Jima.” -Admiral Nimitz, CINPAC.

Incredibly, this ferocious bombardment had little effect. Hardly any of the Japanese underground fortresses were touched. Twenty-one thousand defenders of Japanese soil, burrowed in the volcanic rock of Iwo Jima, anxiously awaited the American invaders.

The US sent more Marines to Iwo than to any other battle, 110,000 Marines in 880 Ships. The convoy of 880 US Ships sailed from Hawaii to Iwo in 40 days.

It was the largest armada invasion up to that time in the Pacific War.

277 thoughts on “The Battle – The US Invasion”

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On occasion, my father who was a Sailor and his Marine buddies would get together at our house or one of their homes. The guys would kind of sit around, play cards, and talk over beers. I was just a kid and intensely curious about their service, but not very much information came out of any of them. Their mood– very hard to describe, kind of somber, emotional, and guarded. The men just didn’t talk about the war very much. Only pieces would come out, and none of it very pretty. At the time, I didn’t understand. I understand better now, but one can never understand unless he had been there. Whenever I see a sports team, a player, a coach even a spectator — refusing to cross their heart during the Star Spangled Banner, I think of these men who sacrificed, some of them sacrificed everything, and am both angered and saddened by the lack of appreciation. Every service member deserves our utmost respect and honor for their sacrifices and service. God bless them all.

My father was there landing marines, Iwo and Okinawa. He only discusssd in passing late in life. He looked it as a job to be done. He was a Lt, Navy at Iwo and Okinawa as many others were. He said he prayed for the men in the landing ships as he knew many would never return. They all had jobs and, god bless them, somehow, they did it. People today do not respect our “rights”, what they mean and their importance. God bless those that have served, those serving, and those that will serve. Bless them all!

My sister, Ana Maria Ward, wrote a biography of our dad, Gordon F. Ward, available via Amazon called “Uncommon Survivor.” The first chapter, available as a free read, is the battle of Iwo Jima as he experienced it. He missed several brushes with death, killed the first Japanese on the island with his rifle/carbine, saved at least 5 drowning Marines single-handedly from their sinking Higgins boat (while under machine gun and mortar fire) but eventually suffered severe wounds. In turn, two Navy Corpsmen saved his life but lost their own in the process. He spent a year recovering from his wounds, was never acknowledged for his bravery.

THE VETERAN
This quiet Vet passed in July. He was 98. In ’43 he sailed west to Pearl, then onward through the Pacific: Tinian, Saipan, Iwo. He was a U.S. Army sharpshooter, an MP guarding Japanese prisoners of war.

In ’45, weapons at rest, he traveled back east by train. He worked as a plasterer at the White House. His clearance gave them fits–fingers, worn smooth by labor, refused to yield prints.

It amused him to collect retirement more years than they made him work.grandpa on his motorcycle

Rest in Peace, S.A. East, Jr.

Take pride, Veterans.

I must study politics and war that my sons may have liberty to study mathematics and philosophy. My sons ought to study mathematics and philosophy, geography, natural history, naval architecture, navigation, commerce, and agriculture, in order to give their children a right to study painting, poetry, music, architecture, statuary, tapestry, and porcelain. John Adams US diplomat & politician (1735 – 1826)

My father, Russell B. Evans, Pfc. 4th Marines 28 Div, was on Iwo Jima 33 days with a BAR he was assigned on the Beach after his units BAR man was killed. Dad spent the rest of his life trying to find out why he was spared on Iwo. I was taking him to the doctor @ age 92 and he looked at me and said” I know I’m going to heaven when I die.” I asked why did he think that? He answered that the Marine Corps had sent him to Hell and they didn’t want him there so they sent him back. Dad passed a month later. He received a Purple Heart for wonds received on Iwo.

Like all WWII veterans, your father was a special breed, humble and proud of his country. I travelled to Iwo for the 70th reunion last March and was in awe of what those brave souls were up against. Truly amazing what they accomplished at the incredible cost of over 6000 killed. My gratitude to your father and my sympathies to you for your and our countries loss.

My father James Clair Wilson went active duty June 1944. They called him OKIE, (from Oklahoma) Went to landing boat school in Cornado, CA. He drove LCVP on Iwo Jima, (first time in was second wave), turned 18 years old, then Drove on Okinawa. He saw both flags go up on Surabachi on the forth day. There were no shots fired on Okinawa invasion, but battle was larger. I have the bible they gave him (New Testament, plus Psalms) with his name and info that he wrote. USNR (US Navy Reserve) V6 (Victory plus 6 months) My father was a Mortician, which is what one of the FLAG RAISERs was. (Doc Bradley) He went one semester at OSU, got married had 5 kids. Me father was one of seven sons, all veterans.

My sister wrote a biography of our dad, released from publisher 3 days after he died in June, 2011, called “Uncommon Survivor” and available via Amazon. An account of his 4th Marine Division first wave landing on Iwo Jima is the first chapter, available free online. He was the first Marine to shoot his weapon upon landing (there was no return fire, initially) and that was into a beached Japanese ship smokestack where he had seen movement in holes. It turned out he killed a Japanese radioman there, presumably reporting back the beach activity, waiting for the beach to be heavily populated before returning fire. By killing the first Japanese soldier by rifle, he probably saved, inadvertently, hundreds of Marine lives. The Japanese opened up return fire moments after that incident.

I was talking with a man earlier today who was in that second wave landing at Iwo Jima. I had just told him of my uncle being a radio operator and being pinned down for three days by a sniper in that beached ship’s smokestack. When I mentioned that this guy’s eyes lit up! He said he could see it clearly. He told me the story of the spotter being found in that ship.

My father, Max Rosen, M.D., was an officer in the Navy and trained with the Marines. I think he was with the Marine 5th Division. His sisters told me, after he died, that losing friends and colleagues scared him for life. All the battles pre-Iwo Jima traumatized him and he had explosive rage. He was evacuated as a psychiatric casualty When I was born on February 25, 1945 the Red Cross attempted to notify him, but my mother got back this massage, “Missing in Action.” My father never talked about the war. However, he received a Purple Heart. I wrote the children’s book, “Henry’s Tower,” as part of my own healing journey. And it has helped other children of angry war vets. Also, my dad’s experience was surely behind my becoming a CO. However, I was inspired by President Kennedy’s words, “War will exist until that distant day, when the conscientious objector is as honored as the warrior is today.” I applied to be a CO, when I registered with the Selective Service. I was granted CO status in 1970, when I was drafted. I was ordered to do (and did) two years alternative service.

My dad Elmer Smith was in WW2 and also fought at Iwo Jima. He was in the Marines Corps. He passed away in 1997.
I also had a brother Rick Malek who served in the Marines and was a Vietnam Veteran. He has also passed away.
This is for anyone who might have known either of them and would like to email me. I am Elmer’s youngest daughter.
We were from Cawker City KS.

USS Gunston Hall — LSD-5. 25 Battle Stars in the Pacific. Tinian, Saipan, Guam, Iwo Jima, Palau… This can be found on Wiki in part. I know this because my father served on the Gunston Hall and helped to land the Marines on the beaches. The landing craft often could not return to the ship due to conditions and nightfall so the sailors would be on the beaches with the Marines. I can’t tell you what I’ve been told, but it was Hell, and changed my father’s life, and the life of my entire family.

For those wanting to hear stories from those who where there during the invasion and battle for Iwo Jima I suggest viewing the video “Price For Peace”. It was produced by Steven Spielberg and Stephen E. Ambrose for the dedication of The National D-Day Museum. A film by James Moll. This film also covers the war in the Pacific Theater from Pearl Harbor to the American occupation of Japan in 1945. My father in law, Joe C. Russell, was a U.S. Marine who was there during the invasion and made us proud by being in this film. Many stories from those who fought in the Pacific. God Bless Them All!

We give thanks this Memorial Day for all of the brave souls who have defended this country over the years- I read last week approximately 1.3 million people have died defending The USA over the course of our history-God Bless Thema and all who have served- and those who suppoeted them.